Rainbow Six Siege X: A Decade Later, Is It a Sequel or Just a Sidestep?
After a decade of blowing up walls and deploying questionable gadgets, Rainbow Six Siege was due for a shake-up. Ubisoft's answer is Rainbow Six Siege X, a massive update they’re calling a “replatforming.” That’s a fancy corporate word for “we rebuilt a bunch of stuff, so it’s almost a sequel, but please don’t call it that.” We dove into the game, dodged some toxic teammates, and are here to tell you if this ambitious overhaul is the evolution we’ve been waiting for or just a fresh coat of paint on a very familiar, very broken wall.
The Glow-Up Is Real
Let's get one thing straight: Siege X looks and feels fantastic. This isn't just a simple texture bump; it's a proper technical facelift. Maps like Clubhouse and Bank have been dragged into 2025 with sharper textures, dynamic lighting, and even player shadows, which is a game-changer for spotting that sneaky lurker in a corner. The whole thing just runs incredibly smoothly... for some. Vets with good hardware will feel like they’ve been given a superpower, executing peeks and plays with terrifying speed.
Ubisoft also tinkered with the core formula in ways that actually work. They added new “destructible ingredients” to the maps. Think of them as tactical toys. You can now shoot a gas pipe to create a wall of fire, or pop a fire extinguisher to create a cloud of smoke that concusses anyone nearby. Honestly, we didn’t expect this patch to go so hard on making the environment even more of a weapon. It’s more of what made Siege great in the first place.
The Elephant in the Room: Dual Front Mode
Okay, let's talk about Dual Front. This is Siege X's big, flashy new toy: a 6v6 mode on a massive map called District, with respawns and mixed Attacker/Defender teams. The goal is to attack the enemy's objectives while defending your own. It’s basically like Ubisoft tried to make Siege’s high-stakes chess match hold hands with a fast-paced arena shooter.
Does it work? Well, it’s… a choice. The mode is fast, chaotic, and sometimes thrilling. But allowing respawns completely undercuts the signature tension that makes Siege, well, Siege. That one-life-per-round pressure is gone, and with it, the feeling that every decision matters. It’s a fascinating experiment, but it feels caught between two identities, and it’s definitely not the casual-friendly intro Ubisoft seems to think it is.
About That "Free-to-Play" Model…
Siege X is now free-to-play, which sounds great for getting new blood in. But there's a catch, and it’s a big one. Think of it like a theme park with free admission, but all the best roller coasters are behind a paywall. You can play Quick Match and the new Dual Front mode for free, but if you want to play Ranked mode-the competitive heart of the game-you have to pay up.
For a game that already has a battle pass and an in-game shop full of pricey cosmetic bundles, this feels like an odd move. It segments the community and tells new players that if they want to get serious, they need to open their wallets. For an update meant to be a grand gesture, the monetization strategy feels depressingly like business as usual.
Same Old Ghosts in a Brand-New Machine
Here’s the part of the review where we get real. For all the shiny new features, Siege X has done almost nothing to fix the game's deepest, most infuriating problems. Let’s make a list, shall we?
- Matchmaking: It’s still a dumpster fire. If you’re a solo player, get ready to be pitted against coordinated five-stacks. If you’re a low-ranked player, enjoy getting steamrolled by Diamonds and Champs. The system feels broken on a fundamental level.
- Server Stability: Connection errors, random disconnects, and server downtime are still part of the daily Siege experience. Fun fact: Ubisoft's official server status page almost always says things are “Operational.” It feels like that page exists in a different reality from the one we’re all playing in.
- Toxicity: The community remains one of the most hostile in online gaming. While Ubisoft has rolled out new tools under the “R6 ShieldGuard” banner, the impact feels minimal. Muting voice and text chat is still standard practice if you want to keep your sanity.
Despite adding new tutorials, the game's skill ceiling is higher than ever, and the broken matchmaking makes the new player experience a brutal gauntlet. It’s hard to learn when you’re constantly getting dunked on.
The Verdict: A Bold But Flawed Evolution
So, is Rainbow Six Siege X the “Siege 2” we were hoping for? Not quite. It's a bold, impressive technical update that manages to polish the core gameplay we love. The visual overhaul is a huge win, and the new tactical gadgets are a great addition.
But it’s also a step sideways. The new Dual Front mode is a fun but ultimately confusing distraction that misses the point of classic Siege. More importantly, Siege X fails to fix the foundational cracks that have plagued the game for years-terrible matchmaking, unstable servers, and a rampant toxicity problem. It’s a stunning renovation of a house that’s still haunted. If you’re a curious newcomer, the free version is worth a download. But for veterans, be warned: it’s the same beautiful, frustrating, and deeply flawed game you remember, just with a fresh coat of paint.